Representatives from the PML-N and the PPP are scheduled to meet again today (Saturday) in an attempt to sort out differences over the budget 2024-25, as sources say progress has been made in different contentious issues between the two parties.
The PPP’s support is vital to the coalition government led by the PML-N, without which the government can’t pass the budget or move any legislation in the parliament thanks to a divided mandate produced by the February 8 elections.
According to the sources, the PPP has directed its members to attend the National Assembly’s ongoing budget session – a move that will end boycott that started after Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other leaders openly criticised the government over the policies followed to produce the budget in which it is accused of providing relief to the masses.
Bilawal – the PPP chairman – on Friday repeated the stance that said the government failed to consult allies and the budget document would have been much better had his party been consulted.
The sources say the breakthrough was a result of a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif late on Friday night where the members of committees formed by the two parties pleaded their respective cases before him.
It is not just the budge, as political and technical matters like power sharing – especially in Punjab where the PPP wants a larger stake – were also discussed, as the sources say the two sides will sign an agreement in this regard to give the understanding a formal shape.
The PPP has been of the view that the PML-N failed to deliver on the promises made under a deal which was followed by its decision to support the candidature of Shehbaz for the prime minister’s office.
However, the PML-N believes that the PPP always resorts to blackmailing at critical junctures so as to make unjustified gains – a practice which was witnessed previously during the PDM’s 20-month tenure before a caretaker setup assumed the charge before the polls.
It is also not happy with the PPP’s desire to gain more space in Punjab where it has lost electoral support during the past decades, at a time when it is not ready to provide any room to the PML-N in Sindh.
Political wranglings of a coalition is the reason why former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif was calling for a clear mandate and the failure to achieve the goal made him shun the bid to assume the office for a record fourth term.
